The WNBA’s Expansion Plans, An NFL-Bourbon Partnership and America’s New Football Village

Each week, we sift through a ton of content and then debate it ad nauseam at FEVO HQ. And since good content, like the mind, is a terrible thing to waste, we are also sharing it here with you, our fans, in the form of this weekly blog post on e-commerce, media and life on the internet.

Axios: Pro Football Hall of Fame's new village shines during Enshrinement Week

While an attraction as enticing as the Pro Football Hall of Fame doesn’t necessarily need a coterie of accompanying tourist diversions, it certainly deserves one. The HOF Village has been in the works for the better part of a decade and was finally on full display during the yearly enshrinement ceremony and preseason kickoff game, with nearly 700,000 fans descending upon Canton to explore the new $600 million campus earlier this month. Among the attractions are restaurants, rides, multiple sports and entertainment venues and a soon-to-be-finished hotel. The construction was a smart move, as it will now make Canton and the Hall of Fame a multi-day, year-round draw for football fans from all over the world. Welcome to the age of destination fandom. 

Front Office Sports: Cathy Engelbert on WNBA expansion: “We need more than 12 teams”

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert spoke openly at a recent press conference about the league’s need for expansion. While interest in women’s sports has grown significantly among fans in recent years, it still has a lot of room to continue. She cited media rights as the key to league growth, which certainly seems feasible given the increased popularity and brand investment in women’s professional sports at the moment. The league has narrowed things down to 10 possible expansion cities in the coming years, which would help to grow the game and further develop the talent pool. 

Vegas Sports Daily: Raiders announce official partnership with Woodson Bourbon Whiskey

Raiders legend Charles Woodson has a bourbon brand. An award-winning bourbon brand, in fact, which just became the official spirit of the Las Vegas Raiders, marking the first time that a former pro’s spirit brand has become an official sponsor of a team. While that may seem like a niche distinction, it is an important one that will surely become a trend across many franchises that want to capitalize on fan cachet. The partnership will see brand placements and activations throughout Allegiant Stadium, including a branded bar inside the Shift4 Club and signature cocktails at stadium bars. 

And a few more nuggets of assorted internet wisdom…

YouTubers Dude Perfect join Burnley FC ownership group (Manchester Evening News)

Jaguars’ $120 million practice facility includes ‘most advanced urinals’ in pro sports (NY Post)

Nike plans ‘network’ of boutique fitness studios (Retail Dive)

ESPN Inks $2B Deal for Gambling Venture With Penn Entertainment (The Hollywood Reporter)

Here are 5 ways to attract and retain the top performers (Fast Company)